Before The World Ends
by A.Baroness
Summary: Pre-ep fic for 10x06 "My Struggle II": Just some MSR that CC apparently didn't want to give us. One-shot.


A/N: This is a story I came up with when my friends and I were sad about all those not so optimistic spoilers for the season finale. And let's face it, after that finale we need all the MSR we can get.

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Mulder is doing the thing Scully told him not to do so many years ago; it's morning, the birds sing their songs and Mulder? He's just watching the woman he loves sleep. The first time she caught him do it, she actually slapped him. Surprised by her actions, he just laughed. 'Don't ever do that again, Mulder', she scolded. 'What? Watch you or sleep with you?' Another slap. Those were the good times.

For a while after she made sure she woke up before him. Mulder missed watching her but being woken with a soft Scully kiss usually made up for it. Then, much later, she didn't even need to try to wake up earlier. Because he would be sleeping half the day anyway. Sometimes he made it to their bed in the middle of the night. Sometimes he chose the couch downstairs instead. More than once he woke with his head on his desk. Oh yes, the less than good times.

All of that is in the past now. Mulder knows he should get up, make coffee make sure she doesn't find out he's been watching her. He should be glad she never found out about him peeking in at her during that Were-Lizard case. He knows she's going to wake up soon. Having slept beside her for over a decade, he knows the tell-tale signs. It's a comforting thought that at least some things haven't changed. Tangled up in his thoughts, she stretches and he knows he is too late.

"Good morning." She says, turning to him. No slap and no scolding, Mulder notices and gives her a big smile. It's all he can do. If he opens his mouth, he might ruin this moment.

"You've been up a while?" She asks with a yawn. Instead of fleeing his bed, she scoots closer. She supports her head with her hand and just watches him. Who's staring now, Agent Scully?

"Hm." Is all he has to offer. He wonders if they have to talk about any of this. After all, it's the first time she has stayed over. After her mother's death, they shared the bed, but she was gone before morning came. Then after his ill-advised, psychedelic episode with the placebo, she let him hold her hand, let him kiss her. It's all led them here. The final decision, though, is hers. He knows what he wants and he can wait for her to make up her mind. If it were up to him, he would never let her leave again. This is their home. Without her in it, it's just a house. Without her in his life, he's just the shell of a man.

Outside, a bird sits on the window sill and looks in on them. A second later it flies away, joining its own family. Family. He remembers a similar morning years ago, drenched in darkness and cold; a sleeping infant between his proud, yet scared parents. A moment so perfect at a time that was anything but. Their first night together and their last. A family. Mulder watches the formation of birds a moment longer. How they're soaring carefree without any responsibility. Like children.

Mulder feels Scullys eyes on him and how she's trying to come up with the right words to ask him what he's thinking. Sometimes neither of them is sure how to handle this part of their relationship. They used to be partners, friends and finally lovers. This is new ground they're walking on and both are continuously trying not to stumble.

"You know when you asked me if I ever think of him, of William… sometimes I can't help but imagine how life would be with him." Mulder quickly looks at her just to make sure it's all right. Her blue eyes are oceans and they're wet, but she wants him to continue.

"He'd be interested in science," Mulder tells her, "only he'd be a little bit more open to the idea of the fantastic, of course." Scully chuckles next to him and takes his hand. It feels warm and it feels right.

"He'd be asking us million of questions about everything and anything. Then one day, he would bring us the answers." He sighs. This child that's so alive in his mind is just a construct; Mulder doesn't know what William likes or what he is scared of. He will never know if his son looks like him or if he has Scully's nose. He can only hope that somewhere their son is loved and happy.

"I imagined it too." She says with a heavy voice. "I think he'd be so much like you." Mulder expects her to say more but the moment stretches on with only the sound of their breathing. He knows Scully got to experience William's first steps towards his own little personality. All he has left is a dog-eared photo and the distant memory of the small, light child sleeping in his arms.

Scully gifts him with a big, unexpected smile. He is mesmerized by the lines around her eyes that he wishes came from too much laughter. Most of these are carved by sadness, though, and he's to blame for the greater part, if not all of it.

"One day we're gonna see him again," he tells her while gathering her in his arms. They're so close that their noses almost touch. He's breathing the same air she is and he wishes that they could stay like this forever; safe in each other's arms, surrounded by the memory of their baby boy.

"It won't be like that. I mean he won't be like that, like we're imagining him to be. He'll just be himself. But we'll meet our son." Scully answers him by squeezing his hand. She trusts him; she wants to believe.

"Thank you." She whispers against his lips and for a moment he considers kissing her. Maybe he can't undo the pain, but maybe he can take some of it from her that way. He's willing to try. Before he gets the chance to, she scoots away from him. The moment breaks like a beloved picture frame.

"As lovely as this is, Mulder," she tells him with a sad smile, "we still have to go to work."

"Do we?"

"Yes. I'd give you a ride, but I need to go ho- to my apartment first. I can't wear the same clothes as yesterday."

"I don't think anyone would notice. We don't get all that many visitors, do we?" Mulder stretches and watches Scully gather her clothes.

"I'd know, Mulder. I won't be long. My apartment is on the way anyway." She's in full agent mode and as much as Mulder wishes they could have prolonged that moment, he revels in the force that is this woman.

"I'll see you at the office." Scully sits on the bed and smiles at him. She finally leans down and captures her lips with his. It's a short kiss that's full of promises. He wishes he could tell her to just come home. He still doesn't use her side of the closet. It's empty. It's just waiting for her to make the final step. He could ask her but… he's saving the question for later. They have all the time in the world now.

"Hm." He finally offers as an answer.

"Promise me not to run into any trouble until then." His answer is a deep, honest laugh. She kisses him one last time before she's gone.

 **THE END**


End file.
